 |
|---|
|
|---|
______________ ______________
|
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
This realization is one that has actually been simmering - pardon the pun - since the first months of my married life. The Quiche Incident is one that will forever be remembered in McKay Family Lore. Let's just say it involved some very underdone eggs in a graham cracker crust. In my defense, when a recipe says 'pie crust', it should specify the particular flavor or lack thereof required to make the finished result edible. I'm just saying. Clarity, recipe people. It is essential. Now that you have a bit of back story I can now proceed with telling you about my Harry and David's Chicken Enchilada Soup Harry and David's has this signature Pepper and Onion Relish that makes the most wonderful cream cheese dip appetizer so anytime I am near the store, I generally buy a jar or seven. However, this time there was an extra treat on top of the jar - a recipe for Chicken Enchilada Soup. I read over the recipe and it sounded somewhat simple so, seeing as how I am already guilt-ridden over the lack of home cooking here lately, I decided I would WOW my family with a batch. Here's where the trouble began. The recipe said I needed 'cream'. No other explanation, just cream. When I think cream, I think dairy so I went to the Dairy Dept. and bought cream - Heavy Whipping Cream. I got home, started making the soup and hubs came in. I should have known disaster was brewing when the first thing he said when he hit the door was, "What smells like a skunk?" Retaining my Preacher Wife composure, I lovingly explained it was the garlic in the soup. He came in to the kitchen, saw my cream, and said, "That's not the kind of cream you use for cooking is it?" I not so lovingly told him to get out of the kitchen and that obviously he knew nothing about cooking. I then snuck to call his sister who confirmed I indeed had the wrong thing. Rats. I was not about to let this little set back keep me from this great soup so, deciding I could get the right cream the next day, I put the beginnings in the fridge and took the kids to the burger joint for supper. The next day, I went to the store and bought Pet Milk like my SIL instructed. Note here: Nowhere on the can does it say 'cream'. How's a girl to know? Really, how?? To make a long story endless, I went home, pulled out the soup, and added the cream. My thought was, "Wow, this looks awfully milky. I read the recipe again and realized, oh the horror, I had misread the amount and instead of 1/2 a cup, I had added 1 1/2 cups times two for the doubled recipe. The result? 3 TIMES the amount of cream I needed. The only way to fix it at this point was to triple all the other ingredients which would require returning to the store and also using my last jar of relish which I knew I could get no more of for a few months. So I did what I had vowed I would never do - I quit. Have you ever tried so incredibly hard to accomplish something, to resist temptation, to make amends and find no matter what you did, it still turned out badly? I'm reminded of Peter who experienced this very thing. Peter with the foot-shaped mouth. Peter who removed people from their ears. Peter who denied Christ when he swore that would never happen. We can learn an important lesson from Peter's retreat to fish after Jesus' death - sometimes the best thing we can do after failure is back off and regroup before we try again. The benefits are a fresh perspective, fresh information, and fresh faith. Peter returned to pen 1st and 2nd Peter which in my estimation are some of the richest books of the New Testament. What a come back! So back to my soup - petty compared to what some of you are experiencing but it is a great visual for me as to the importance of trying again! Next time, I'll remember what I've learned from my mistakes and work out all the kinks beforehand. And hopefully my hubby will be none the wiser.   Please come visit my personal blog, The Preacher's Wife. Labels: Encouragement, Endurance, Lisa's Articles Leave a comment... 17 Comments Links to this post For those of you with multiple young children, you can probably relate with me on how difficult it is to bring the kids a treat of any kind without them coveting what the other received. What I find much easier is buying three of the exact same thing so as to prevent any kind of argument (I'm talking M&M's here, not Playstations). I always know when the bank teller gives me four green suckers that she understands this phenomena and is doing her best to keep peace in my Suburban. Oh, how I love my bank lady. This week was the Book Fair at our kids' elementary school. You know the drill - your kids beg and plead to pay quadruple for a dollar store toy or book just so they can say they got something from the Book Fair. I could set my foot down and say no but then I'd have to deal with my own issues of looking like a horrible mom for not letting them get something like all the other kids. So, I caved, okay? Each boy was given a certain dollar amount and after school came hauling in their loot. Even though each boy got to pick out what he wanted, the green-eyed monster got ahold of my Youngest when he saw his Eldest brother had gotten a calculator that looked like a flip cell phone. Let me first say this kid cares nothing about Math, but he loves to get attention so undoubtedly he believed this little prize would boost his cool factor. The wheeling and dealing began. "Come on, brother! I'll trade you whatever you want! I'll give you a baseball card. I'll even clean your room!" Nothing was working until he said, "I'll give you FIVE DOLLARS for that calculator!" Big brother perked up a bit. "Five dollars? I only paid two dollars for it...You are on!" Here's where the trouble started. Youngest didn't have five dollars. He never does his chores and has no prospect of EVER having five dollars especially considering he is always willing to pay dearly today for what will be worthless to him tomorrow. He is already shaping up to be Citibank's best customer. Or their worst. What was his solution? He snuck in his dad's wallet and got five dollars and gave it to his older brother. The Eldest completed the transaction with a smile not knowing where the money had come from. All he saw were $$$$. When he told Dad about the profit he'd just made, warning bells went off in his head because he knew Youngest didn't have any money. Long story short, Youngest 'fessed up to having taken the money. He immediately began crying his eyes out. Dad took pity on him and used it as a teachable moment to explain how bad sin made us feel but that God was gracious when we asked for forgiveness. He then tried to gather our son up to comfort him. However, instead of curling up in his dad's arms, he pouted up and refused to be hugged. It made no sense whatsoever! He'd done wrong, gotten busted, been shown way more mercy than he deserved, and yet he was angry! How many times have I done that very thing?! Getting called out when we've made a mistake is painful, but what keeps us from accepting mercy when it is offered? Pride from having to admit we were wrong? Shame for having been so gullible? Fear for what others will think of our weakness? The Jewish nation responded to Jesus in this exact way prompting Him to lament, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." Luke 13:34 It took a while, but my son finally let me hold him as he cried and said he was sorry. It was a heartwrenching few moments for him, but wow, what a burden was lifted for both of us when it was all over. This scene with my own son made me understand just a bit more the love the Father wishes to pour out on us if we will simply cease striving and allow Him to gather us to Him in mercy. It will take humility and perhaps many tears, but O the comfort that awaits those who will allow themselves to be wrapped in His embrace! Please visit my personal blog, The Preacher's Wife. Labels: Comfort, Compassion, Forgiveness, Lisa's Articles Leave a comment... 10 Comments Links to this post Friday nights in Alabama during this time of the year are good for only one thing - High School Football. Though I personally do not understand a thing about the sport, I love wrapping up in a warm blanket on a cool night and yacking it up with all my football widow friends whose husbands find it necessary to hang on the fence and discuss each play as it's being made. Our boys have not had the best record in the last couple of years. You could say we are a small school with very few players so it is difficult to go head-to-head with teams double in size. Even though the crowds continued to come to the games, there was bad mojo. People were more ready to boo than cheer, more ready to criticize than praise. If I sensed that being a new member of the community, I know the players and coaches did. This year, for lack of a better explanation, I believe God means to do a work among the kids in our High School and I perceive He is beginning with the football team. We have coaches who are not only concerned about winning ballgames but are determined to build character in this group of young men. We have fathers who are working themselves to death to create a top-notch field and club house. We have moms who tirelessly serve nachos and barbecue at every single home game. We have a community who is coming together to say, 'no more bad mojo - you kids are more important than the scoreboard'. This past Friday night, something happened that can only be explained as a subtle paradigm shift. There was a lighter atmosphere in the stands, a different buzz among the crowd, a fresh spirit among the players. It was one of those times where everything was the same, but everything was different. And our boys? They played their hearts out! I've never seen them so pumped or the crowd so energized. Football is the most confusing sport to me and yet and I found myself biting my jaws to keep back the tears when our boys scored or got excited over a great play. All I can say to you is that there was a great coming together that night that has set a different tone for this season. Which is why we were so devastated when we were beaten in the last seconds of the game - over a technicality which made no sense to me whatsoever. But, in a scene worthy of any great movie, our teary-eyed boys raised their helmets to the alma mater and stood proud as the music played. What I pray they know is that the town stood and cried with them. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."These guys may have been behind on the scoreboard but what is being built in them will last forever. Boys, you give Friday Night Lights a whole new meaning....You shine brightly and my family is looking so forward to God revealing exactly what He is up to in your midst. Coaches, the investment you are making into these young lives is imperishable. I pray you sense what I do - that something is happening - and it is beginning with you. I would love to see you at my personal blog, The Preacher's Wife. Labels: Encouragement, Lisa's Articles Leave a comment... 3 Comments Links to this post "For he (Uzziah) was marvellously helped, till he was strong." 2 Chronicles 26:15 I will never forget the days when my husband and I were away at college. These were the years when God began giving us ministry 'mileage'. In a movie about Blues Music, this was a term used to describe the tough life experiences that translated into an authentic blues song. You can't sing about being broke and hungry unless you have been broke and hungry! When we were in college, we were broke but thankfully never quite hungry. After my oldest son was born, we felt led by God for me to become a stay-at-home mom. This was a huge faith step since Luke only made $400 per month. Yes, girls, per month. After our bills were paid, gas was put in the car, and groceries were bought, we typically had around $4 to last until the next payday. Can I tell you I wouldn't trade those days for $1 million dollars? Why? Because just like in the life of Uzziah, we were always marvellously helped. I distinctly remember a time when our car was broken down and in the mechanic's shop. We needed $150 to fix it with no prospects of getting the money in sight. We told no one but instead called upon the promises of God to provide our needs. The day we were to pick up the car, a plain white envelope was in our campus mailbox with exactly $150 inside. There were many other instances of this same kind of miraculous provision that can only be explained by a wondrous work of the Lord on our behalf. Though our income is a bit more than $400 a month now, realistically, we are still a family of six surviving on one income in a two-income society. Living in the materialistic age we do, if I am honest I will tell you sometimes Satan dangles the world in front of my eyes and I long for it - especially if it involves a big house, a new car that doesn't reek of chicken nuggets, and yes, a great pair of shoes. But then I think, "If I had all the world could offer, would God have the opportunity to marvellously help?" If His own people are not content to dwell in circumstances that reveal His wonders, how will His fame spread? Somebody will be famous alright - it will either be us or Him. And because God will not share His glory with another, the name we make for ourself may be one we'd prefer not have. Paul said it best in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:
Dear Father - I will never get over bragging on Your goodness to my family! Oh how I praise you for provision, completeness, and strength. If I weren't weak, why would You need to be strong? Less of me - More of You. Amen.
I would love for you to visit my personal blog, The Preacher's Wife. Labels: Encouragement, Lisa's Articles Leave a comment... 7 Comments Links to this post "Are your ears awake? Listen, Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I'll give the sacred manna to every conqueror; I'll also give a clear, smooth stone inscribed with your new name, your secret new name." Revelation 2:17 This week, my daughter was playing with a new stuffed bear her brother won in a Claw Machine. Exactly what is a Claw Machine? That would be one of those annoying contraptions where you put in $37 worth of quarters to win a $2 prize. Thanks to Claw Machines across the South, we are quarter poor and stuffed animal rich. Luke asked Sydney the new bear's name. We expected an answer such as Cinderella, Frou Frou, or Sally, but instead she said, "Her name is Nothing. She likes being Nothing." And at that, my heart was immediately broken. Not for the bear, but for the many women I know who enjoy being named, "Nothing". I will bet you know at least one, too. Oh, she may not introduce herself in this way, but her actions let you know this is the identity she has embraced. She flounders in her faith believing she is unworthy of God's best. She lingers on the outskirts of the sisterhood assuming her friendship is unwanted. She hides her pain for fear it will bring rejection. In some strange way, she finds comfort in her anonymity because with it also comes the lack of accountability. And Satan laughs because this is exactly where he wants her. God has reserved a new name for those who overcome. The implications of this promise are huge! When a person is named, the one assigning the name is in effect establishing authority over them. It is the same concept as Adam naming the animals in the Garden. In this world where Satan is temporarily prince, he calls us Nancy the Nothing, Wanda the Worthless, Debbie the Defeated. (Disclaimer: I didn't use anyone's name on purpose!) However, Jesus Christ calls us Redeemed. He will give a new, secret name Satan will never be able to defile. I can not wait to know mine. Lisa has been called Loser one time too many. We don't have to wait until Heaven to embrace a new identity. Paul did it. So did Abraham and Sarah. We can lay aside the symbols of our defeat and embrace the authority of Jesus Christ over our lives. He is holding out the stone, but He can't make us take it. If you haven't yet received this gift from Him, will you? Because to Him, you aren't 'Nothing'. You are Everything. Please visit my personal blog, The Preacher's Wife. Labels: Lisa's Articles, Love, Overcome Leave a comment... 9 Comments Links to this post "Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrach, and Saul." Acts 13:1  The women in this photo and I seemingly have nothing in common. We are from different races, different economic situations, different lifestyles. The same was true for the church at Antioch. In the words of Toby Mac, this first Gentile church was a Diverse City. There were Jews and Greeks. Rich and poor. Culturally elite and social outcasts. There was only one common denominator: Jesus Christ. Before Friday, I believed I had very little in common with these women and yet through the extravagant, lavish grace of our Lord, a woman and teenage girl became my spiritual sisters this week during a missions effort by our church into their housing community in Montgomery, Alabama. Enticed by a new clothing giveaway, these ladies agreed to join me for some "Girl Talk" during a Backyard Bible Club. I had no idea what to expect going in so I was prepared with a Gospel presentation, my trusty Sword, and lots of praying girlfriends. Often when I have shared the Gospel in this type of setting, I can literally see the womens' eyes glaze over. In the same spirit in which one would attend a 90-minute condominium presentation for a free vacation, you can almost hear the women say, "Get on with it. I'm not buying. I am only here for the free stuff!" And yet on this day, it was as if the sky opened up and God shot a beam of Holy Spirit fire right into our tent because here are some of the questions which came pouring out of their mouths:
To say my jaw was on the ground does not even begin to do the matter justice. Here I was expecting dead silence when I began to talk about salvation and instead we went through scripture after scripture for an hour and a half. Shame on me for thinking so little of my God or the powerful prayers of our church and my blog friends! How dare I cease expecting His Wonders! To hear these women sobbing and asking God to forgive their sin and restore their broken lives was about more than I could take in. The sincere prayer of faith is a sound I will never get tired of hearing as long as I live. What is better? Having one of them come to me today and tell me she had already read the entire books of John and Romans I had suggested and asking where to go next. You can't see, but I am still having a Jesus fit over it. The blessing of getting to know these women showed me we have much more in common than first meets the eye. We want to mother well. We want the best for our children. We want to live a life of significance. We desire stability. However, God impressed a huge truth upon me this week: Anyone can have common dreams but only through Jesus Christ can we have common hope. Lord Jesus, with uplifted hands I join the angel chorus who is even now singing praise to Your Holy Name for the redemption of these souls. I am full of joyful expectation of the good things you have in store for those who love Your appearing. Father, You know the dire needs and I ask you to build the faith of these women in Mighty Wonders only You can orchestrate. Amen! p.s. These women were among twenty plus who were born again during our time in Montgomery this week. I'll be adding more redemption stories at my blog, The Preacher's Wife, over the next few days. Please come visit! Labels: Lisa's Articles, salvation, Sisterhood Leave a comment... 10 Comments Links to this post
If you have ever read my biography, you know the very first advice I was given after my husband was called to ministry was to "learn to play the piano! Churches will be more likely to ask Luke to be their pastor if you can play the piano!" I did all this because I desperately wanted to be an asset to Luke and a jewel in God's crown. In those early days, my understanding of being worthy had everything to do with meeting other's expectations. Externally, I suppose I was shaping up nicely but on the inside, I was miserable. The challenge to live up to an unwritten code of Preacher Wife conduct was exhilirating as I checked off another issue on my "To Re-Do" list. However, what began as a thrill quickly became a yoke and it wasn't long until I realized I was making everyone happy except me. Please visit my personal blog, The Preacher's Wife. Labels: Insecurities, Lisa's Articles, serving God Leave a comment... 14 Comments Links to this post "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God; it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture." Psalm 100:1-2 There are many things about my life as a Preacher's wife I consider atypical, however my Sunday morning seat on the 2nd pew, piano-side is about as predictable as it gets. What is unusual, however, is the motley crew of fellow worshipers who surround me. Along with my own children, my area has attracted many other young'uns - mostly boys. This past Sunday, there were thirteen of them. Yes, you read correctly. Thirteen boys on the front two pews. Thank the Lord for Children's Church! There is one boy I particularly enjoy sitting with because of his love for worship. When the song director announces the page number in the hymnal, he immediately hands me a book to find the correct song for him. No one sitting near this fifteen-year-old during the song service can help but feel they are in the presence of angels. The reason? Michael is deaf and mute. Now obviously Michael is unable to form the words to the worship songs, but what he vocalizes instead is a, 'Woo, Woo, Woo' to the vibrations he feels from the speakers. This past Sunday, the congregational hymn was, 'The Star Spangled Banner'. As we neared the end, I thought to myself, "This is the part where we should all jump out of our seats and cheer. After all, we throw our hands in the air at a ballgame..Why not the Baptist Church?" Michael must have sensed what I was thinking because at the end of that song he YELLED, 'Woo, Woo, WOOOOOOO!" That's all it took. I cried. Then I patted him on the back which is my way of letting him know he is special and I love him dearly. He just grinned and said, "Memen". His word for 'Amen'. Amen, praise the Lord, Hallelujah, indeed! As I thought about Michael's joyful noise, Psalm 100 immediately came to mind. I looked up the phrase 'a joyful noise' in my trusty Lexicon and discovered these meanings: "to split the ears with sound, to sound a trumpet, to shout with joy or for joy." And then Michael's worship made more sense than ever. A joyful noise is not a word but a shout! There are times when no words can fully express the joy in our spirit, the depth of our grief, the praise of our graciously redeemed souls. There are occasions when the song of our heart is comprised of only one prolonged syllable, exhaled to the Only One who can translate. Just as the Spirit knows how to pray for us when we can not voice His will, I believe He sings the song to the Father we can not. And what a beautiful song it is. Until that child can say the name Jesus, I believe 'woo hoo' will do. Please visit my personal blog, The Preacher's Wife. Labels: Lisa's Articles, praise Leave a comment... 7 Comments Links to this post This week I was preparing a Bible study lesson and meant to type the word, 'righteousness'. I noticed my spell-checker protesting bright red so I scanned to see what I had mis-typed. The mistake I found was one which stirred courage in my heart therefore I fell in love with it instantly. The word? 'Fighteousness'. Don't you love it? I immediately thought of this verse:
Girls, we do not achieve righteousness without fighteousness. I can not tell you the name of one individual sanctified by a passive practice of Christianity. No crowns have been earned by any human save through overcoming trial and tribulation. Paul knew this full well. Stonings, beatings, humiliation, rejection were all his earthly sentence for an exemplary faith yet he pressed on for the verdict and reward of a Righteous Judge. My faith has not been an easy one. I have experienced many heartaches, weathered devastating storms, and revisited debilitating old wounds. I can honestly say Christ has blanketed every hurt of my heart with His Word and continues to fill every needy place. There are still many periods of time when the voice of Satan says, 'you can't take one more day of this. It will destroy you to be obedient. Why is He so strict with you and not her? He wants way too much from you. Just lay it down.' That voice can be so winsome, the way it coos and beckons. That evil, slumber-inducing lullably can only be silenced with a Holy Spirit smack of the cheeks which calls, "Wake Up! Fight! You are stronger than this...Not in your power, but Mine." "I have written to you , fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one." 1 John 2:14 Where the Word of God abides, there stands an Overcomer. There is a wife who will not grow weary in well-doing. There is a mother who will persevere. There is a daughter who loves nothing more than His Appearing. There is a woman with some Fighteousness.
Labels: Encouragement, Endurance, Lisa's Articles, victory Leave a comment... 7 Comments Links to this post "Yet if you devote your heart to Him, and stretch out your hands to Him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear. You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by." Job 11:13-16 When I was 7 months pregnant with my daughter, I went on a rafting trip with our church group. It was a relatively calm river with no perceived dangers so I didn't have any hesitation about going. Needless to say, because of my delicate condition, my boat was the place to be for all the other wives who didn't want to be continuously capsized by our horse-playing husbands during the entire 3-hour journey. "Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor." God desires nothing but your good and His glory. Satan is working towards your destruction and his glory. You can float in those waters, or watch them pass by. Which will you choose? Here is a lesson best learned from the creek bank - Get out before it finds you out.
Labels: Freedom, Lisa's Articles, Sin Leave a comment... 5 Comments Links to this post "When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant, I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory." Psalm 73:21 NASB This entire 73rd Psalm of Asaph has been on my heart all month. Because it kept coming up continually, I felt the Lord was leading me to write on it but I was lacking meaningful application. All it took to fix that was a Little League Baseball Game, a semi-illegal pitcher for the opposing team, and one mad Preacher's Wife. Let me set this one up for you. We are currently in post-season play in a local County Tournament. The eligible teams are not All-Stars but ball clubs who have played together all season long. We have absolutely clobbered this particular team each time we have played thus far. When we arrived at the game expecting the same kids, we discovered two players had been added from a Select Travel Team. The new pitcher looks like Goliath and, giving credit where it is due, could flat out sling a baseball. Dad did not trust his boy to the coaching staff but instead gave pitching signals from behind the home plate fence. To make sure the whole family was involved in giving this child the star treatment, when he left the field, instead of sitting in the dugout with the 'regular' players, he sat in a lawn chair while his mother fanned him like the King of Siam. Our boys could not hit a thing off this kid. His size was as intimidating as his pitching. The farther along the game went, the madder our parents got. A protest was filed before the game began but apparently the other team had snuck this kid under everyone's radar in the last two games of season play to make him eligible for the tournaments. This is where I get to tell you how wonderful The Preacher is :) He is the model of grace under pressure and of letting the Lord fight your battles. He wasn't any happier about the situation than I was but he continued exchanging pleasantries with the umpire and other coaches while I sat with a scowl on my face the whole game. He came to the fence and said, "Why don't you smile a little bit?" I noticed he had on his shirt with our church's name on it. I said, "Because I am mad, I don't want to, and that is exactly why I don't wear The Church Shirt to ballgames." And I should have been sufficiently ashamed of myself right then. But it got a wee bit worse. After the game, I was standing with a group of friends and my little boy who was devastated over the loss. Out of nowhere and for no explainable reason, one of the other team's Moms came up and said, 'Yay..we did it! Did ya'll see that score?? 7 - to - 1 !' Oh, I know she didn't. I literally let my jaw drop to the ground and I'm telling you the, "I guess you CAN finally win IF YOU CHEAT!!" remark was about to roll off my tongue when this little voice said, "Remember yourself, Lisa. Remember The Name." Ouch. Which takes me back to the part of the verse above that talks about 'being a beast before You'. I almost acted like an idiot tonight and was close enough that I would have been embarrassed had I been wearing my church's t-shirt. If I have to worry about shaming The Name by how I act at the ballfield I do believe I need to stay home. So tell me, am I alone in this? Does how you act ever conflict with The Name you profess? Are you afraid to wear the shirt? To put the Fish on your car? Let's be mindful of our testimony, Girls. We may be the only Jesus some people ever see. The Lord really humbled me but thankfully, He promises to take my hand and guide me to Proverbs 31 behavior. Even better than that, if I have a stroke at the ballfield from having to keep my big mouth shut, He promises to receive me to Glory. However, I can think of other ways I'd rather go out and hopefully when I do, I'll leave this world proudly wearing The T-Shirt. Labels: Christian walk, Holiness, Lisa's Articles Leave a comment... 15 Comments Links to this post We are a baseball family and this spring has found us chasing hard after three boys on three ballteams, eating our weight in nachos and hotdogs, and feverishly washing uniforms night after night. The pace is maddening but the boys love the sport and their mom and dad love watching them play it. With that said, our oldest has had a difficult year. He is on an overcrowded team whom he has never played with before. Translation: He has become a benchwarmer for the first time in his 7 year 'career'. Now, he is the kind of child that believes about himself what others believe about him. He thinks because he doesn't get to play that his coaches must not think he is good, therefore he has worked very hard to live down to their expectations. My heart has been broken as I have watched his esteem fall in direct proportion with the number of slots his name has slipped in the batting order. During his last game he wanted to get a great hit SO badly but he struck out and later was thrown out at first. I knew he was devastated and couldn't wait to hug his sweet neck after the game. When he came off the field, I put my arm around him and said, "You okay?". I'll never forget his reply. "Not really. I didn't do one significant thing today." How often has the enemy fed us that line? "You aren't good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, talented enough; therefore, you are worthless." And we hang our heads in agreement and accept whatever implications this will have in our lives. We adopt a mindset to expect rejection, anticipate failure and ultimately live a defeated life because of it. I see this in my boy's face as he steps up to bat. He doesn't believe there is a homerun in him and it kills me because I know there is! I've seen that child in action! I've seen him earn the coveted game ball in the Little League World Series. I've cheered him on as he sent a hit soaring over the outfielders' heads. I've cried my eyes out as he made the play at the plate that won the big game. I know he can but I just don't know what to do so that he will remember. I imagine God gets just as frustrated. He's got to bang His enormous head against the walls of the Beautiful City. "I know you can do this! Don't you remember what we have been through together? What else could I possibly do to prove to You I love you? How many more times do I have to provide before you have faith that I will always meet your needs? When are you going to accept that I am enough, that I am Who makes you significant?" I had a long talk with my precious boy. "Who are the most important people in your life?", I asked. He answered appropriately with, "God first, then you and dad". Good answer. "Well God, me, and dad think you are Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, and Javier Lopez all rolled into one, baby boy, and don't you let someone who is not the most important person in your life make you ever think otherwise. You choose to believe who loves you most." As soon as those words came out of my mouth I realized they were a God-inspired answer. We have to make a concious choice every single day to whose voice we will give power. Will it be the Father of Lies or the Voice of Truth? (Love that Casting Crowns song) Because let me say to you that if we choose the Lie, then he has gained all he ever wanted: precedence in our hearts and minds over God. Dear Ones, choose to believe the One who loves you most! Choose the voice of the One who is on your side, the One who knows you are Esther, and Mary, and Hannah all rolled into one. He knows your heart and through Him what you are capable of and will not rest until you are convinced you are enough because He is enough. I believe along with God that you have a homerun in you yet. Batter up! 2 Chronicles 20:20 "Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed." A little sidenote: Just got a call from the ballfield - MY BOY just crushed a ball into left field and was batted in to score the first and only run of the game. I do believe he has been listening to the Voice of Truth..:)) Labels: Faith, Lisa's Articles Leave a comment... 20 Comments Links to this post There was a Sunday about 7 years ago I will never forget as long as I live. Our oldest son, then four, had attended his first "real" Sunday School Class after graduating from the nursery. Emotionally for me, he may as well have begun Kindergarten. I could not wait to get ahold of that child and find out everything he had learned in his new 'big boy' class. When we got into the car, my interrogation began, "Did you like your class? Was your teacher nice? Were you scared? Do you want to go back again next week?" To which he answered, "Yes. Yes. No. Yes." They learn the Man Thing early: Few words, fewer details. In an attempt to get more information (because you know we moms need the minutia), I asked "Well, who was your lesson about?" His response? "I have NO idea but I did find out if people eat poison apples it makes snakes talk." I would be willing to bet Adam and Eve have never heard that version of their story before. Of course, The Preacher and I laughed and laughed. "Oh isn't it cute how he got that all mixed up?" But the more I thought about it, the more I believed he got the point dead on. In thinking about ways we "empower the snake", I was reminded of this passage: Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:25-32 I think of all the times Satan has attempted to embitter me towards another person by subtly slipping me the poisonous fruits of self-pity, anger, bitterness, and distrust. Like Eve, I am often tempted to take a bite by thinking I am somehow entitled to harbor these feelings. If we are not careful, these are just the emotions Satan will use to feed our hearts until we grow fat with pride. Satan is very crafty in using human relationships to gain a foothold. For example, when we are angry with someone we have to see on a daily basis, every encounter gives him the opportunity to whisper, "Can you believe she did that to you? Said that about your children? Brushed you aside like that?" We then have two choices: Take the bait, or feed the snake. Consider Genesis 3:15 (NLT) and I'll explain: "From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." I don't know about you, but the woman in me still feels righteously indignant that Satan cornered Eve. I can't help but have compassion for her and the ridicule she has endured all these thousands of years from the generations of people who blame our plight on her naivete'. Do you ever wonder if Adam brought it up to her? "You know Eve, we wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for you, dear." Something tells me he did at least once in their 930 years together. This fact alone makes me praise God all the more that he gave her a chance to redeem herself by being the mother of Salvation. The fact remains that Satan still singles women out today. He attempts to isolate us, busy us, frenzy and frazzle us until we are in a corner where he can feed us poisonous fruit. We can fall for his scheme once again, or we can instead feed the snake: a darling high-heel in the head that is. Genesis 3:15 reminds us that Satan will always inflict pain, but that he will ultimately be crushed under our feet. On behalf of every one of us who has ever fell prey to his wickedness, I want to plant my spiritual stiletto in such a way that he will never forget it. "You've fed me long enough - now eat this." It's time for a rising up, girls. Time for recognizing Satan's game and calling him on it. It's time we crush his head! Let's beg the Lord for spiritual eyes to discern the enemy's schemes. Put on the full armor of God, and whatever you do, don't forget your shoes! Labels: Lisa's Articles, Relationships, Satan's schemes, Spiritual Warfare Leave a comment... 11 Comments Links to this post "And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'." John 20:22 The phone call was one I'll never forget. "Guess who is moving?" my husband asked. I was not prepared for his answer. I immediately hung up the phone and cried my eyes out when I found out he was referring to a senior couple in our congregation who are beloved to us as well as every single person in our church and community. These two have a vibrant, healthy marriage after 50 years. They are the life of the party everywhere they go, love my children as their own, and are faithful co-laborers in Christ. They still keep the nursery for Pete's sake! Though we have only known them two short years, I can not imagine my daily life without them in it. Their going will leave our church body with a limp much like the one Jacob had after wrestling with the angel. Jacob was able to function, but he never forgot. Neither will we. Preparing to tell these dear ones goodbye has drawn my thoughts once again to the Cross and the devastation the Disciples and others who loved Jesus experienced when they had to part with their Beloved Savior. How do you let go of someone with whom you have shared so much? Who accepted you when no one else did? Forgave you when no one else would? Mary couldn't let go in the Garden after Jesus' resurrection which prompted His gentle rebuke, "Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father." (John 20:17) Do you blame her? Had it been me, I can just see Jesus trying to walk away, dragging me on His leg behind Him. What Mary did not understand at the time is that Jesus was not going to leave her or the Disciples. He had another kind of Presence in mind. Since the Garden, God has longed for fellowship with His Creation. Even before sin caused the Great Separation, He had a plan in place for bridging that divide so that He could once again dwell among us. God first hovered above the Israelites in the desert in a pillar of cloud and fire. He then talked 'face to face' with Moses and His Presence filled the Tabernacle. He was getting closer, but not close enough for Him. He was aching to touch His creation again. To have them see Him and not die. To speak to them and not have them cover their ears or hide their faces. The joy of communion was destroyed in the Garden and He's been missing us ever since. The next step in His drawing near is what captures my imagination. I think of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in Heaven just before Jesus came to Earth. I picture Jesus saying to the Father, "I'm going in". Just then, He inhales deeply of the Spirit before diving into the waters of humanity. With the breath of Heaven inside, Jesus plunged into our atmosphere in order to provide atonement and infuse us with the Spirit He possessed. And then, much like a swimmer just before he emerges out of the water, He exhaled. Jesus breathed the Spirit out. We breath the Spirit in. You can't get much closer than being indwelt. Jesus never intended on leaving His creation alone yet there would be a new way of relating to Him after His ascension. John 16:7 says, "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." The Helper is the agent of conviction of sin and remembrance of God's Word when times of testing come. He guides in all Truth and glorifies God by disclosing His will to His children. He comforts, He teaches, He exhorts. No, we are not alone. We are empowered and full of Christ Jesus in a way we never could have been if He remained in human form self-limited in His Presence. Though we would love to have Jesus in the flesh before us, we all have to agree it is to our benefit to have an equal measure of Him dwelling inside. So my thoughts return to our friends who will be leaving soon. I will treasure every moment still remaining and while doing this, I will also ponder How God blesses us with the ability to experience this mystery of relationship with Him and one another. When they go, I will turn my face towards the sky as the wind of His Spirit breezes into my face. And I will breathe deeply of the Exhale of Heaven for the comfort I can find in no other Name. I will miss you terribly, S. and L. Labels: Comfort, Holy Spirit, Lisa's Articles Leave a comment... 12 Comments Links to this post How are your toes today? I hope yours are strappy-sandal ready but mine, dear sisters, are broken and bloody. That would be because C.S. Lewis through his book, The Screwtape Letters, has stomped all over them. Stomped and jumped and then flattened with the Mashed Potato Dance. I am knocked off my feet for the moment but in this case it is a good thing because I am reminded I should be on my knees anyway. For those who have not read this masterpiece (okay, so I love Lewis), it is presented as a series of letters from Screwtape who is an demonic under-secretary of Satan. He is writing to his nephew, Wormwood, with advice on causing a new convert to Christianity to fall. Throughout the book, Screwtape mentors Wormwood in attacking areas of Christian weakness. One of the first subjects discussed is prayer. The assault on my pedicure began when I read these words in Chapter 4 of the book: (Yes, I am broken to pieces by Chapter 4. By Chapter 30 I will be in ICU.) In speaking of the new Christian breaking from the habit of 'childhood parrot prayers', Screwtape says: "..he may be persuaded to aim at something entirely spontaneous, inward, As a somewhat young mother of four, I can not begin to tell you the number of books, articles, and teachers I have heard encourage the matter of 'popcorn prayers' or 'praying as you go' in this season of life. Let me be perfectly clear when I say, AMEN, we should absolutely do this! I need Jesus when I am staring at 12 loads of laundry or caring for a sick child or driving between three different baseball fields. I talk to God all day long and it is often in the most mundane errands when He gives me teaching illustrations that are relevant to women like me. Now that I have established I am a total 'pray as you go' kind of girl and that I in no way condemn this practice, here is what I believe the Spirit began to whisper to me: 1. Have I let this type of 'praying as I go' produce in me a devotional mood which leaves me with only a sense of supplication? 2. Do my prayers require a concentration of my will and intelligence in my approaching the throne of a Holy God? Am I praying in spoken word so my sentences have to make real sense? 3. How often do I take a physical position of bended knee or face-on-the-floor prayer? 4. OUCH. Now that I have honestly answered these questions for myself I feel the need to change my prayer rituals. Don't get me wrong, I DO pray. I must. It is in the Preacher Wife Handbook. But often I am seated in a chair or lying in bed or driving down the road. I am in no way suggesting there is a holiness in positioning - legalism is SO not my thing- but I am saying that I agree with Lewis' Screwtape in his suggestion that 'what their bodies do affect their souls'. Consider with me the intensity of our petitions of the Father that are offered in spoken word while prostrate or on bended knee. Would you agree with me that it is during these times we go down as one woman and come up as another? Do you think perhaps this is the kind of prayer which frightens Satan most? I think of times past when I have been in serious pursuit of the heart of God and realize this is when I have made the most concerted efforts to get in the floor on my face before Him. So I wonder, what would happen to a group of women who made this their habit? What Godly fire would ignite in a community where women were being changed a little bit every single day because they would not let go of God until He blessed them (Gen 32:26)? I think we would turn a place upside down, girls. Will you be willing to try? Here is the challenge: Will you join me in carving out five minutes of your day to bend the knee and offer a spoken prayer to the One who is continually making intercession for us? I am going to commit to this and if there is a day I feel I may not honor my word, I will remember you and know I am being held accountable. Do not feel you have to do this but I hope you will. We may fail but you know what? God will not be mad. Let our motivation be a desire to be women who pray like Jesus: "And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:39) I don't know about you, but I have a whole lot of cups before me. Many of them pass, many of them don't. No matter what is placed in front of us, it is on our faces where we will find the strength for His will. The more we exercise this privilege, the stronger we will become. Let's start now.... drop and give Him five! Labels: Lisa's Articles, Prayer Leave a comment... 13 Comments Links to this post “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work”. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 My mother-in-law can cook like nobody’s business and one of her specialties is good ‘ole southern potato salad. She has this special Strawberry Bowl that the potato salad goes in. Always. Point being, special occasions warrant special dishes and spiritually speaking, you are God’s best china. The thing we always don’t understand is why God seems to overlook us for periods of time while someone else is being “used” on a regular basis. The same way we pull out a round cakestand for a carrot cake or a platter for the turkey, God will use us when we are the perfect fit. We all have our set of issues God has used to shape the women we have become. It is not enough, girls, to keep all that grace to ourselves. When He chooses to pull us out, we have to be prepared. The same concept can be found in the life of Moses. Consider Stephen's testimony in Acts 7:20, "At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child." The time Moses was referring to was the fulfillment of the 400 years of Israelite bondage in Egypt God had revealed to Abraham. The Greek word for 'time' used here signifies a set time in which a specific task must be accomplished. Moses was not just one of a generation that happened to suit God's purpose. He was placed on purpose to be God's chosen deliverer however reluctant Moses may have initially been. See another fascinating example. The Hebrew equivalent of this same 'time' word gives the definition of "the appropriate time for an unrecurring incident." The Hebrew word is "Eth". Do you see whose name you can make out of that word? Esther. "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 Both of these examples show people who experienced waiting and questioned why they were placed in the positions they were in. Be sure to notice that in both these instances, just as in our own, there are unrecurring events that will be placed before us that will require a resolved 'yes'. Yes, Lord, I'll obey you even if the future is uncertain. Yes, Lord, You can trust me with your Name. It is when we are willing to disappear into Him that He is made all the more visible to the world around us. Our God given tasks may begin as something which appears small. God knows when our faith has been built enough to trust us with opportunities for greater impact. He is always able, but just like Moses and Esther, there is a period of preparation He graciously gives us before we are led into the Red Sea or the King's Court. Be found faithful in looking for those opportunities to be the china He pulls out of the cabinet. In response, how is God using you lately? Are you in a preparation period? If you don’t feel God is at work in you, will you commit to look for the opportunity? Will you ask Him to reveal how your circumstances are shaping you for His fame? If you will, I can promise He will not leave you on the shelf. Labels: Faith, Lisa's Articles, Purpose Leave a comment... 10 Comments Links to this post I have a confession to make: I am a Lord of the Rings nerd. I counted today and in the land of Girlfriendom - after I considered every woman I know - I have exactly zero friends who share my affinity for all things Middle Earth. My love for this magical land leads me to hope, but never dare pray, that Heaven will be something like the Elven city of Rivendell. My perfect eternity consists of worshiping throughout the ages on regal white horseback like the elf princess, Arwen. Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have told you that. But now you are convinced of the nerd part, yes? Even if you do not share my love for this mythical place, you simply must force yourself to watch these films and ask God to reveal all of the spiritual imagery. One such scene has captured my heart this week as I’ve been preparing a series of lessons for a women’s retreat. In the trilogy, there is a niece to the King of Rohan named Eowyn. She is described as fearless, high-hearted (love that word), and skilled with a sword but is forbidden to participate in warfare because she is a woman. A great battle is looming and, determined to defend mankind, she disguises herself in armour and rides into the fight. In the climax of the battle, Eowyn’s uncle, Good King Theoden, is struck down by the Evil Witch King and is about to be devoured by the flying beast he rides. Just in time, Eowyn takes her stand between Good and Evil and proclaims, “You can not have him!” Evil boastfully replies, “No man can kill me.” As she reveals her womanly identity Eowyn surprises Evil by exclaiming, “I am no man!” She strikes the Witch King and destroys him…something no man in the entire army could have done. If she had stayed locked away in the city, no doubt the outcome would have been much different. I get the Girl Power Goosebumps every time I think about it! (Be rest assured I am no feminist, but that is for another post.) Listen to Jesus say: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no on can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:28-30 Hear Christ Jesus say to Satan today, “You can not have her!” Oh that we would wrap our minds around that thought! That we could let the truth sink marrow deep that we are sealed and protected by Christ’s own blood and nothing, no person, no situation can take those who believe on His Name from His hand. He stands between you and the evil one. “Over my dead body,” Jesus says. But wait. Satan tried that too – only the grave could not hold Him who holds the keys to death and destruction. In our relationships, we are called to stand in that place of protection for our wounded sisters. Even now, God is growing in me a supernatural love for both women I know and those I’ve never met. I desire more than anything to stand, with the Lord at my side, between you and Satan and proclaim, “you can’t have her! I know what she has been through. I’ve done this one before. Get up sweetheart, we are going home.” Satan may laugh. However, just like Eowyn, you or I may be the only one suited to turn that smurk into a howl of defeat when he realizes we were just the ones pre-designed to win this battle. God knows what it will take to disarm Satan and when our lifesong will be most fitting to minister in a specific circumstance. All He asks of us is our ‘yes’. One thing is certain, if we stay safe behind the walls we may remain unscathed, but the warfare will continue and many will be left stranded on the battlefield. What does standing for woman-kind look like practically? * You have a co-worker who is going through a rocky time in marriage. You've been there and the Lord restored your relationship. Will you be willing to involve yourself enough to share the source of your healing? * A young mother at church has suffered a miscarriage. You remember the pain of your own quite well. Will you send her a note to tell of your own experience so she'll know her grief is understood and justified? * Your daughter is not born again. She has continuously let you know the subject is off limits. Will you rise up against Satan and proclaim, "You can not have her!" Will you continue exploring creative ways of sharing the Gospel at all costs? Praise God, we know the One who wins the war, but there remain many battles to be fought between now and then. Will you join me in holy indignation against the enemy on behalf of the sisterhood? This army comes in the name of the Living God and our Father is greater than all. Satan - Beware! Labels: glorifying God, Lisa's Articles, Obedience, sacrifice Leave a comment... 22 Comments Links to this post |
CWO Cover
Bonnie Hooley
